Globe and Mineski launch professional esports team ‘Liyab’

In the Philippines, esports is becoming not just a pastime for local gamers, but also a serious competition for professional esports athletes. 

Globe Telecom partners with Mineski to launch “Liyab,” a professional esports team which will be debuting alongside teams from popular esports titles including Hearthstone, League of Legends, and Arena of Valor.   

According to Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, creating a professional team is part of the company’s vision through the Globe Games and Esports Program which aims to further promote esports in the Philippines. Cu said that Liyab, which translates to “blaze,” represents the team’s intense passion and focus in the realm of esports. “Liyab will be the symbol of the country’s burning passion and pride in global esports events,” he said.

The Globe Games and Esports Program has been at the forefront of the Philippine esports landscape since its launch in April 2018. Through organizing and hosting international esports tournaments such as the Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League, Globe Conquerors Manila, and Valor Cup, Globe continues to help the esports industry flourish in the country.

“The main focus of Liyab is to improve management system methods,” Mineski CEO and President Ronald Robins shared about the reason for launching Liyab.

Aside from establishing a professional management system, Cu also mentioned that introducing Team Liyab is one way to promote and further strengthen the esports program in the country, “Esports is all about discipline, practice, perseverance, passion–ensuring that these guys really are at the top of their game ’cause they are going to be competing with the top people and top teams in the world. And I’m sure with Globe’s support, Mineski’s expertise we will be able to bring Filipino gaming to the world stage.”

Globe VP for Portfolio Development and Partner Management Content Business Jill Bausa talked about why they chose to partner with Mineski.

“Partnerships are never one-dimensional. The strategy was we pulled together a collection of partners that are all complementary to each other. The dimensions of partnership will be unfolded slowly but surely,” she shared.

According to Robins, Liyab will continue to screen players for other eSports titles, especially those games which is included in SEA Games and has a higher competition rate.

“Our athletes do train very hard, medyo intense ‘yung training nila. They go 8-12 hours a day and especially with the new Team Liyab program, we are gonna be introducing sports science, mental fitness and real physical fitness as well to be able to have that edge of having this alertness,” he explained.

Cu believes that Liyab will also help in raising awareness on responsible gaming behaviour and will play a major role on how Globe would redefine the gaming and esports habits of Filipinos by expanding its #PlayItRight advocacy into gaming responsibility.

“We are now positioning gaming and esports like a real sport for Filipino gamers to follow. By focusing on the total development of the esports athlete such as Physical Wellness, Nutrition, Discipline, and Cognitive Development, this provides gamers an avenue to progress to a professional level,” Cu said.

With their skills, demeanor, discipline, and competitiveness through hard-nosed, no-nonsense training, Team Liyab is now ready to participate in the global esports arena.

Accomplishments of the Liyab team members include representing Southeast Asia together with the Malaysian and Thai Teams in 2018 League of Legends Rift Rivals against Japan and Oceania regions.

They also represented the Philippines in Globe Conquerors Manila, the most prestigious League of Legends eSports event in Southeast Asia for 2018. Loyal Arena of Valor, on the other hand, has been a constant in all Arena of Valor Cup regional tournaments in 2018 eventually taking home the championship title in the Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League (PPGL) Season 3 – Arena of Valor. Finally, Liyab Hearthstone division player Cara Cute has been a constant contender in Hearthstone eSports scene and ended 2018 strong with a Top 4 placement in the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) SEA.

Team Liyab will be competing in the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA) that will be hosted by the Philippines from November 30 to December 11, 2019. INQUIRER.net BrandRoom/JH